Yoga exercises are widely practiced by many to reduce weight. Along with the weight reducing diet yoga helps shed excess weight effectively.

We must exercise our lungs, as often as we can, by Yoga techniques with the emphasis on deep breathing, to enable them to come alive. Yoga exercises are not strenuous. Breathing and relaxation are inseparable function with the exercises the body does. Almost all exercises, involve every part of the body-the spine, the limbs, the chest and the abdomen. There is no spot reducing exercises as in others.

Though there are more than seventy postures in yoga, a few of a which when practiced regularly give good results in reducing weight. A few such exercises that stimulate the endocrine glands are beneficial for obesity. These are easy to practice daily at a fixed time. You must keep in mind that a natural die will be more suitable for these exercises.

1. Dhanurasana

Method:

Lie on the stomach and keep both the legs together.

Fold the legs slowly by bending the knees.

Breathe slowly in the normal way and lift your head.

Arch the back and hold both the legs with your hands near the ankles.

Stretch the legs held by the hands a little further to assume a bow’s posture. Look up.

Remain for a few seconds in this posture. Time can be increased after a few days when you are perfect.

Release the legs and lower them to the ground. Rest your head down and place the arms on your sides and relax a while and repeat the exercise two or three times.

This exercise stimulates all the endocrine glands from the thyroid in the neck to the sex glands in the pelvic region. The abdominal muscles stretch and enable good digestion. It cures obesity if practiced very regularly. It also removes fatigue and lethargy. It is helpful in all irregularities of menses and obesity caused during menopause in women.

This exercise should not be practiced by people suffering from hernia, people with spinal injuries and fracture and those suffering from stomach ulcers.

2. Yoga mudra

Method:

Assume the posture of Padmasana- sitting cross-legged, placing the legs on the thighs of the opposite side, the heels touching the abdomen.

Sit erect and hold your right wrist with left hand at the back. Slowly bend forward and touch the ground. While bending backward it is necessary to inhale first and then bend, because bending forward causes the compression of the abdomen and extension of the spine. If this breathing pattern is mastered, bending exercises will not causes any cramps, pains and other discomforts or giddiness and headache.

After sitting cross-legged, hands folded at the back, exhale and slowly bend forward and touch the floor.

Stay thus for a few seconds and gradually come back to the original position by inhaling deeply and lifting the head from the ground. Repeat a few more times. Relax and unfold the legs.

If sitting in Padmasana causes too much pain, the asana can be started with sitting on Siddhasana, i.e. crossing just one leg on the thigh opposite to it.

In the beginning, pain in the low back, groins and legs may be felt. But if one practices other exercises regularly or just this one regularly, the pain would disappear.

3. Parvatasana

Method:
Parvatasana is the exercise performed sitting in Padmasana. As its name implies, this exercise gives a look of a hill. This exercise should be performed by a person only when in normal condition without any severe illness. Regular practice of sitting in padmasna will make this exercise easy to perform.

Assume the Padmasana posture. Remain in this posture for a few seconds.

Inhale and exhale at equal intervals at least 3 times.

Fold the hands {palms touching each other} and press them together on the chest as in prayer.

The elbows must be held slightly away from the body.

The folded hands should be in a straight line without bending.

Slowly raise the hands keeping them in the same folded position above the head vertically.

While raising the hands, breathe in slowly and normally.

Allow the hands to stretch to the maximum.

Look straight and remain in this position for some time.

Slowly without disturbing the folded hands, lower them to touch the chest once again.

Repeat this a few more times.

When the hands are above the head fully stretched, a slight discomfort in the ribs, axial {armpit} and front of the neck may be experienced for the initial two days. But this will disappear after a few days’ practice.

The rhythm in inhalation and exhalation in this exercise, strengthens the lungs. Obese persons will benefit from this exercise as the abdominal muscles get stretched to their maximum. It reduces excess flesh around the waist and shapes the figure. Flabby flesh on the arms, especially above the elbow reduces to a great extent.

4. Vakrasana

Method:

Stretch both legs and sit erect.

Fold the right leg and lift it across the left leg and place it near the knee of the left leg.

Keeping the shoulders straight and spine erect, breathe normally as you gently twist the body without disturbing the position of the legs.

Place right hand, palms touching the ground at the back in level with the stretched leg.

Bring the left hand across the right thigh and place the palm on the ground parallel to the right knee. Thighs should well press the abdomen.

Gently twist the head till the chin is in level with the shoulder.

Remain in this posture step by step.

In almost all exercises the last step must be the first step while bringing the body to the original position.

Repeat the same with the other side.

5. Trikonasana (Variation 1)

Method:

Stand at ease with legs two feet apart.

Stretch both the arms horizontally at the level of the shoulders, the palms facing towards the ground.

Twist the trunk towards the left without disturbing the stretched arms, bend and touch the left toes with the right hand.

The left arm and head should face upwards.

Fix your eyes on the left palm.

The right arm should be in level with the left leg making it look a perfect triangle.

Stay for a few seconds and come back to the original position slowly by untwisting the trunk and with the outstretched arms rise and stand erect.

Repeat this towards the right side.

6. Trikonasana (Variation 1)

Method:

Stand with the legs apart with the distance of 2 to 2 ½ feet. The distance can slowly be increased from feet 2 ½ to 3 feet after two or three days of practice.

Stretch both arms horizontally and palm facing downwards.

Bend towards right, without twisting, and touch the right toe.

The left arm is kept still stretched. Rotate it a little and bring it to the level of head and then touch the left toes. Look down.

Now the whole trunk is bent forward with both hands touching the toes of their respective sides.

The supreme rule of breathing out while bending forward and breathing in while straightening out must be correctly followed.

Stay in the final position for a few counts and slowly straighten out and come back to the original position.

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About The Author

Gopakumar Nair belongs to a Hereditary Ayurvedic family of Kerala who were Practising Ayurveda and traditional Medicine for 200 Years . They can be traced back to over six generations. His experience under the guidance of his guru Valiya thampuraan has earned lot of trust and popularity.